Rock 'N Roll Gnome
by Hooklynn N. Synquer
Summary: My first attempt at a semi-short story. Involves generic DnD fantasy, Gnomes, and sooner or later some Rock 'N Roll!
1. Prologue

_Hey all! This is my first attempt at a semi-short story of any kind, so I'm rather new to all this... Comments and criticisms always appreciated!_

Rock N' Roll Gnome

By: Hooklynn N. Synquer

Prologue

_**The morning sun shone through the windows of the tree-burrow, covering everything in a soft golden hue, including the hammock in which the gnome, Pallabar, slept, gently rousing him from his dreams. Well, gently being a matter of perspective, of course…**_

As soon as the morning sun crossed Pallabar's face, he hastily rubbed the sleep from his eyes and reached for his workbook, which was on the table just a few inches father away than his short arms could extend. Accidentally over-balancing himself in the hammock, he tumbled sideways, blankets and all, hitting the floor of his tree-burrow with a muffled _thump_. Not to be deterred, he quickly got up and grabbed the workbook off its perch, then made towards his desk. Sitting down and opening the leather-bound volume to a blank page, he plucked a quill out of a nearby inkwell and started writing down the contraption he'd envisioned in his latest dream.

"_A set of five differently sized wooden cylinders and four tapered metal disks. The cylinders are tightly covered at both ends with hide. Arranged so that the largest, laying sideways on a metal stand, was connected to the smallest and the second-smallest by metal supports attached to the top of the larger cylinder and the sides of the smaller cylinders, the smaller cylinders being angled diagonally and slightly inwards. A pedal-type apparatus is attached to the largest cylinder, so that if you press the pedal a soft wooden mallet strikes the hide on one side of the cylinder. The two remaining cylinders are somewhat different, being the same diameter across but one is only a third the height of the other. The larger of these is set vertically on a metal stand to the right and behind the three connected cylinders, and the smaller is set on a taller stand behind and slightly to the left of the connected cylinders, being at the same height as its larger counterpart. The discs appear to be slightly conical, moreso at the center where it forms a slight bell with a hole at the center. The two larger disks are mounted on thin metal pole-stands, near the top of which there are small metal circles welded so the disks won't fall. One of these is placed in the corner made by the three-cylinder apparatus and the large cylinder on the right, and the other in the corner made by the smaller cylinder on the left. The smaller two metal disks are placed on a similar stand as the other two, one inverted so that the inside of the bell is facing up and the other placed on top of it. This apparatus is placed to the left of and slightly behind the cylinder on the left. There is a stool placed in the midst of the cylinders, from which one would 'play' them and the disks as percussive instruments."_

Pallabar thought for a moment, then drew a quick sketch of the apparatus as seen from the point of view of one who would operate it. Setting down the workbook, he pulled on his work clothes and made ready to leave for that day of his apprenticeship under Maester Woodlawn, a renowned bard and inventor. On a whim, he tucked the workbook into his pack to show to the Maester during their midday lunch. Perhaps he could shed some light on how such a contraption could be made.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

__Pallabar anxiously fidgeted his sticks as he sat behind the closed curtain of the town amphitheatre, listening to Maester Woodlawn's introduction speech on the other side. A month ago, when he'd dreamed up the instrument he now sat behind, he never would've guessed the idea would come to any success at all. And yet, here he was, on stage, in performer's dress, about to showcase something that had never before been seen anywhere. It's safe enough to say he was rather nervous.

'_Oh well. Nothing for it, I suppose… Just stick to what I've rehearsed and I'll be good. Heheh. Stick. Good one, Pallabar.'_

He thought this to himself as Maester Woodlawn finished his speech, then abruptly came back to reality as the curtains started to open.

'_Here goes nothing…'_ he thought to himself, scanning the crowd for familiar faces and finding more than a few. Smiling, he jauntily twirled his stick through his fingers in salute before starting his routine.

First came the kick-drum, beating like a heart made of thunder in the finely-tuned acoustics of the amphitheatre.

_Dum, dum-Dum, Dum, dum-Dum._

Second came the drum he'd decided to call the rattle-drum, mainly in part because he'd taken some artistic license and placed a handful of small seeds inside, making it buzz when struck., which he did now with slightly exaggerated moments of both hands.

_Dum_ CHAT_ dum-Dum, Dum_ CHAT_ dum-Dum._

Third came the two smaller drums and the larger drum to his right, which he'd decided to call Tenor drums because of their differently pitched tones.

_Dum_ CHAT_ dum-Dum _**Dat-Det-Dom**_ Dum_ CHAT_ dum-Dum_** Dat-Det-Dom**_._

He repeated this last pattern three times, before switching to the two metal disks on his left he'd taken to calling the hi-hats, because of the way the were stacked on top of one another.

_Ti-ti-ti-ti-Ti-ti-ti-ti-Ti-ti-ti-ti-Ti-ti-ti-ti_

He added in the rattle drum and kick drum then, booming out the respective notes.

**DUM**_-ti-ti-ti-_CHAT_-ti-ti-ti-_**DUM**_-ti-ti-ti-_CHAT_-ti-ti-ti_

He switched back and forth between the two complete patterns a few times, and then decided it was time to finish the performance. Using the innate magical abilities possessed by all gnomes, he made the drum set appear to catch on fire, though in reality it was just an illusion made to startle the crowd, which it did very quickly. As concerned watchers rose to their feet in disbelief, he ended the rhythm with one last big _**DUM**_ from the kick drum, which was the signal for Maester Woodlawn to cast a spell of darkness over the stage, showing only the flickering flames of the illusion Pallabar had set down.

Quickly running off-stage, Pallabar tapped Maester Woodlawn - who had been hiding backstage - on the shoulder, and they ended their illusions at the same time. There was silence for a moment, and then the audience slowly started clapping, which soon turned into a thunderous applause for the young apprentice. Strolling back out onstage, Pallabar took a bow, an enormous grin stretching from ear to ear plastered across his face. His invention had been a success.


End file.
